Bad Smoke Signals

As teenagers and young adults, I think we’ve all made our share of stupid mistakes. Some of us are left with unwanted tattoos, old pictures of poor haircut choices, or like my husband, two earring holes in one ear (sorry honey, but it’s true). Some may be considered fashion statements, lapses in judgment, or the result of a drunken stupor, and while they may make for a good laugh later in life, none of them can cause cancer like smoking does. I am simply dumbfounded by the number of young people today who are still willing to smoke a cigarette just to appear “cool.” I can’t think of any other reason why a normal, semi-intelligent human being would pick up something that they know is more than likely going to kill them and say, “Hey, this seems like a smart idea. Let’s fill our lungs with smoke and chemicals, then I’ll really be cool.” I know that in the past there wasn’t as much information out there, but nowadays you would literally have to live under a rock not to know the facts about how bad smoking is for you. So why is it that some kids still feel the need to take that first hit of a cigarette? Is it really just the unintelligent ones who are so insecure that they have this desperate need to fit in? That’s right, I said it. If you have any other explanation for it, please tell me so I can be more compassionate. I don’t get it. It’s common sense.When we, as adults, see “young-ins” trying to act cool and be like an adult, we, in turn, should act like children and point at them and laugh, “Ha ha, look at them, they’re smoking — losers.” When you see that smoking has been banned from restaurants and most other public places, and people are forced to go outside in the rain, snow and hail to feed their addiction, what would drive someone to make a conscious, educated decision to welcome that into their life?